Tesla changed its longstanding policy to connect every vehicle with a portable charging cable and instead began selling them separately for $400 for Level 2 charging and $275 for Level 1 charging.
This step reminds us of Apple removing the USB charging brick that came with the iPhone.
With charging being one of the biggest concerns for electric car buyers, it makes sense that Tesla would include a cell phone charging cable with every car sold.
The included charging kit has evolved over the years.
Tesla previously included a charging cable with a NEMA 14-50 connector (level 2) and a connector for a normal plug (level 1).
The automaker then decided to drop the NEMA 14-50 connector from the included package and only included a NEMA 5-15 adapter, which is a standard port. You can purchase the Level 2 connector separately.
With a maximum power output of 1.3 kW, the included connector enabled charging speeds of between 2 and 3 miles of range per hour. It’s not much, but it’s still better than nothing and good for an overnight charge.
For nothing better, Tesla owners will have to install a Level 2 charging station at home.
Today, Tesla has gone a step further and decided not to include a charging cable with its new vehicles.
CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla believes owner usage is too low to justify providing the cable with every new vehicle delivery:
“The usage stats were pretty low, so it seemed like a waste. On the (small) plus side, we will be including more plug adapters with our portable connector set. ”
The move is reminiscent of Apple’s decision to stop shipping new iPhones with USB charging bricks a few years ago, and the company also referred to the extravagance at the time.
However, the similarities ended there. Apple can count on the fact that most customers already own several USB/Lightning bricks, but that’s unlikely to be the case for Tesla buyers, especially those new to electric vehicles.
Also, even though most users don’t use mobile phone cables much, it can be extremely advantageous to stay in the car in the worst case or at the beginning of the ownership experience before you can install a base station. home charging.
To add to the concern, Tesla’s two cell phone connectors are listed as “unavailable” on its website:
So, for people receiving new Tesla cars without a connector included, they will have to find a replacement elsewhere.
take electric
I am not a fan of this movement. I know everyone has a different situation, but I know a lot of owners who use the included cell phone charger in the first place – and obviously more so when Tesla included NEMA 14-50.
Personally, I’ve probably done over 80% of my charging on my Tesla Model 3 with the included charger.
I think it makes sense to sell an electric car with a charger – even if it’s not ultimately your primary charging product.
For what it’s worth, Tesla isn’t the first company to do this. we learned earlier this year that the Kia EV6 will not come with a charging cable And then we said:
The EV6 doesn’t come with a level 1 or 2 charging cable, for better or worse. Speaking to the team, I think the thinking is, why add the $1,000 part and the complexity that comes with it when people already have a charging station at home, which they don’t don’t have a garage and/or maybe they can choose one that is better designed. for them at a cheaper price from an online retailer. For someone like me who already has five different EV chargers at home, this makes sense, but as a first-time EV buyer, it adds significant complexity to getting an EV. throw in $200 charging cable It will make a lot of sense
I know a lot of owners just like to carry the Cell Phone Connector in the car all the time for a little charge somewhere if needed.
What do you think? Is Tesla greedy here or is it a good move? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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